Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Topsham vs Bath vs Hermon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Topsham has the most expensive homes ($361k median).
Bath has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Ellsworth | Topsham | Bath | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,657 |
9,706Highest |
8,815 |
6,727Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 4% below ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
41.1±4.7Lowest 8% below ME |
| Bath and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hermon and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.5% ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
$96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
| Hermon and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$360,800±$20kHighest 22% above ME |
$310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$333,600±$32k 12% above ME |
| Topsham and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
| Hermon and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262 7% above ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
$3,847 27% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7% ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
75.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the ME average |
24 min 4% below ME |
24 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #63 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME | #31 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Mt Ararat High School | Morse High School | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
12.2Lowest |
14.8Highest |
14.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.